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Chocolate Ovomaltine Daim Cake

Growing up, my pre-teens and teenage years were very much influenced by both the American and British cultures. Having been in and out of the States and American elementary schools around the world, I was rather unprepared for what awaited me at a private British high school. It was like the clash of the titans in many situations. As George Bernard Shaw said “England and America are two countries separated by the same language”.

Imagine then, how my eleven year old ears burned and my crimson face blushed when a cute English boy in my class, the first week of school, asked me if he could borrow my pencil with the rubber on the end and that he had a bad habit of chewing the rubber off his own pencils. I was so horrified I dropped all the pencils I was holding. Or how perplexed I was when an older 6th Form student told me he wanted to smoke a few fags and was popping around the corner to get them. Then there was the most embarrassing moment when I got invited to my first party and announced to the group of new friends that I would be wearing my favorite pants on the evening. I failed to realize that I had just declared I would be wearing my favorite underpants! Trust me; many eyebrows were raised after my bold announcement.

What a rubber is to an American is a condom to a British person and if one talked about smoking fags where I grew up you’d be discussing killing a homosexual and not inhaling the nicotine filled cigarettes and pants to my British friends were underpants not trousers. After this bumpy beginning, where I had to learn to speak and write a whole new language that I thought I knew, I picked up the intricacies of the British language, finding the satire and dry sense of humor rather refreshing. I adapted myself quickly and ironically found my passion for British literature.

Although there were certain things that I did not like about the British way of life, like the excessive drinking, smoking and swearing, there were some things that got my attention very quickly. One of them was the chocolate variety Britain had to offer. Leaving the overly sweet Hershey bars, Babe Ruths, Reese’s Butter Cups, 3 Muskateers bars behind my chocolate addiction found new divine richness to nibble on. Cadbury’s Bournville, Crunchie or Flakes, Bassettts Wine Gums, Galaxy Caramel and Malteser’s were just a few of the regular products I would spend my pocket money on. However there was one product that provided me with my chocolate satisfaction on a daily basis. I would indulge in its soothing malty and chocolaty caress, wrapped up in the rich, sweet aromas as I did my homework or chatted with my girlfriends on the phone. The warmth of the mug and the sweetness of the delicious scented milk would wash away most of the day’s troubles and Ovaltine quickly became my favorite chocolate indulgence of choice.

For me Ovaltine was always an iconic British product that accompanied me through my teenage years and I believed this misconception for most of those years. I did not realize that it wasn’t just me that had to make language adjustments. Apparently Ovomaltine is a product of Switzerland where it was developed in Berne. In the early 1900s Ovomaltine was exported to Great Britain where a misspelling in the trademark registration led to the product being called Ovaltine in English speaking countries. When I moved to Germany in my early twenties, making this discovery and finding my old – new Ovaltine / Ovomaltine in the stores helped me get through being in a foreign country alone for the first time. Like it did back then it eased and soothed me to adapt to a new strange foreign language I was struggling with.

Today I enjoy seeing Soeren sharing the same affinity for Ovomaltine as I did and still do. Breakfast is never quite the same for him without his warm mug of steaming Ovomaltine and when he said that he wished he could have a birthday cake with his two favorite chocolate treats Ovomaltine and Daim candy I thought why not? A birthday cake made of your favorite childhood candy – now that is a real treat one I hope he shall remember.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and the eggs until light, creamy and frothy.

Heat the milk, Ovomaltine powder and butter until butter melts and steaming. Make sure it does not boil. Then carefully pour the Ovomaltine mixture into the egg-sugar mixture in a steady stream beating all the while.

Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients are blended. Divide the cake batter into the springforms evenly and bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middles of the cakes comes out clean. The cakes will be springy and light. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto cake racks and let them cool completely before icing them.

Put the sugar, cocoa and Ovomaltine in a food processor and pulse a few times to remove any lumps then and the softened butter and process. In between scrape down the sides then process again this time pouring a bit of the hot water through the funnel. Keep processing until you have a smooth and thick cream. You might not need the entire 2 tablespoons of water so add a little at a time.

Reserve enough of the mini Daim candy bars to line the edge of the cake, then coarsely chop the rest.

Spread half of the icing on one of the chocolate sponges, sprinkle with the chopped Daim bits, then gently sandwich with the other. Spread the remaining of the icing over the top swirling with the spatula.

Line the edge of the cake with the reserved Daim candy bars, and sprinkle Daim praline buts in the center of the cake.

Refrigerate until it’s time to serve the cake.

Verdict

A cake with triple the chocolate fun. A rich cocoa powder and the malty-chocolaty Ovomaltine added to the sponge cake is slathered with a creamy and smooth icing also with a sprinkling of Ovomaltine and finally the chopped mini Daim candy bars give the cake the instant praline crunch, making it a dangerous treat for adults too. Grab a slice!

What were your favorite childhood chocolate and candy?

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Oh, I have been waiting for this recipe! It looks absolutely delicious. Now, I just need to trump up a reason to bake one. :)

I had to laugh at your incident with the "rubber" as I had a similar experience. Heribert, the dreamy German exchange student I was head over heels for asked me to borrow a rubber during history class. Admittedly, he was the one who turned red in the face over this one. I was much more frank at sixteen and didn't hesitate offering an explanation.

The mention of Ovaltine brings back many childhood memories. I remember when I first moved to England and I realized that English is a different language: Tea time was dinner time and a napkin was a feminine hygiene product and a serviette was a napkin (the list could go on). Naturally all discovered during embarrassing moments.

I've really been craving a rich chocolate cake, you have now made it unbearable!

You have the capability to out do yourself every single time. I want to just dig in my fingers and lick the cake. and talking about the "rubber" . even after 17 years in the States, I still have to remember to hold my tongue....:D

Oooo see now I do have to remember next time to bring a jar of that delicious ovaltine (or whatever you call it!) as it is just delicious. And this gorgeous, gorgeous cake... wow, that looks stunning Meeta. Beautiful photos too!

LOL - so were they your LUCKY pants? I found a similar experience coming from South Africa to London - you think it will be the same because we all speak English but nooooo. I still laugh at how saying that "this is a load of bollocks" means something is, well, crap. Yet saying "this is the dog's bollocks" means something is rather excellent! Love the cake - we had Milo in South Africa which is simlar to Ovaltine - a malted drink to have with warm milk. Think I may have to add that to my list of comfort foods!! Luscious pics, my sweet Borg sister :)

This looks absolutely sinful and delicious Meeta!!! I haven't had ovaltine since I was in primary school and had in fact completely forgotten it still existed, but can imagine how good it tastes in this cake. Yum!

This is some of my favourite food photography of yours - and that's saying something as it's always a visual feast. Love the simplicity and colour...and of course that cake looks SO good. Absolutely adore malty chocolate flavours.

On the language issue but reversed 'fanny-pack' always had be in stiches!

Glad you liked Crunchies and Flakes because those were my childhood faves, also Curly Wurlies, Cadbury's fudge and dark chocolate Bounty bars. Most of them are too sweet for my adult tastes although I'll sneak the odd small Crunchie and can easily finish off a bag of Maltesers.

Gorgeous cake. I feel like having a warm glass of ovaltine in milk. So comforting just like this cake. Your experience at British high schools made me laugh! I still rais emy eyebrows when people say pants for trousers!

How true Meeta...we think we know the language but its different...like here near manchester they call lunch dinner & dinner tea which rather confuses me LOL...I start my day with ovaltine-banana smoothie ;-)...i have made nutella cake but gotto try this onexx

Just call it chocolate and I am there, plate and fork in hand! Wow love this! And although I have never had Ovamaltine I do love Daim which are popular in France! Perfect cake!! And my poor sons in their English classes - they grew up speaking American but their teachers expected British. They just gave up.

I had to introduce my husband to all the wonderful European chocolates and candies when we first started dating and he fell for Daim. So every year when we go back to France he always gets some to bring home!

LOL.. I still can't stop laughing reading your initial experience in a new country and culture. I have similar stories of me coming to the US from a traditional Indian home and getting some culture shocks every once in a while. But that is what broadens your mind and helps you break the shell around you.Do I really need to tell you how absolutely addictive that cake looks?! :-)

What a delicious looking cake, and your transatlantic 'experiences' are so familiar, the only difference being I'm more used to Cadbury's and get all giddy seeing Hersheys for first time, only to realise later that the devil you know is better:P

My gosh this cake looks incredible! And hilarious post. My dad grew up in a very british South Africa, so as a kid here in the states I had the pleasure of correcting my father's british sayings constantly.

This post brought back lots of memories for me - very distant memories of being treated to a small packet of Ovalteenies at the chemist when I was little, and more recently of the language slip ups I would make when I moved to England - much like you, i proudly told a group of people I'd wear "pants and thongs" to a party ...whIch in Australia would suggest trousers and footwear - not the two pairs of underpants (one a lot skimpier than the other) that everyone assumed I meant!!

Ovaltine is my favourite rink too... ever since my childhood! Even now I eat spoonfuls of it when I need that chocolaty pick-me-up... My son too likes it.. though he prefer eating the powder rather than with milk :) This cake is a must try ... And it looks superb!

Thanks everyone for the comments! I really enjoyed reading all about your own hiccups with the English language. Thank you also for all the wishes and glad you are liking the cake and the photos! This is a wonderfully sublime cake - one that everyone will really enjoy!

I literally just made this cake. It has been bookmarked on my computer for more than a year and a huge Ovomaltine fan I was happy to have found a reason to make this one. The recipe for the sponge cake was turned out well, but my big disappointment was the icing. 240g of sugar on 125g of butter should have set off my alarm bells, but I continued thinkin it would all work out well. The icing however was far to sweet for my taste. Actually I didn't taste anything, it was just sweet, sweet and overly sweet. Some guinea pigs were present and everyone thought icing was way overtop. I ended up throwing it way and replaced it with a french buttercreme & added Ovomaltine. With this modification the recipe became a keeper.Kind regards, D.W.

Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hello, I am Meeta a freelance food photographer, stylist and writer living in the cuturally rich city of Weimar, Germany with my husband and our son, where I enjoy preparing multi-cultural home cooked meals with fresh organic ingredients. What's for lunch, Honey? is my award winning food blog where I combine my love for food with my love for photography and styling...